zapatero

Regarding the accessibility of joint accounts after one of the owners deceases.

I cannot remember of seeing this nuance in this thread, but it may be helpful to some. I just talked with the bank managers at two different banks where my wife and I have joint accounts. My question was, "will my wife have any problem accessing our joint account when I die?" Their answer was, "it depends on how your joint account was established". i.e., if the account was established with an "OR" ownership then both managers told us that there would be no problem. However, if the account was established with "AND" ownership, then both parties would have to be present to access the account -- which in our context would be inconvenient. Neither manager even mentioned the need for a will.

Both managers did indicate however that the account ownership should be changed to the surviving party ASAP. And this would require the presentation of a death certificate.

FWIW....

A few posts back it was recommended that the witness' signatures be notarized.

For U.S. purposes I have to obtain notarizations at the U.S. embassy.

For Thai purposes, (e.g. the present context), it would seem that a Thai notarization would be necessary. However I have never seen any references regarding how to obtain a Thai notarization. Can someone please educate me?

Thank you very much.

As the OP, it appears that citing my own limited experience might be useful to anyone suffering the same problem, (geckos false-alarming IR-based security systems.)

Geckos are territorial little critters, and a favorite hangout is behind corner-mounted motion-detector sensors, because there is usually nothing else nearby to hide behind. I've observed them defending these territories vigorously. The problem occurs when they run across the lens of the sensor. Though unusual, I have experienced as many as four false alarms in one night from the same sensor. On average, I was having 6-10 false alarms per week. Now I have maybe one per month. I can live with that.

My solution was common mothballs, (naphthalene), dropped down behind each sensor. I have been doing this successfully for well over a year now.

The testosterone-soaked gecko's first response was defiance. I saw no change in false alarm frequency at all, maybe it was even worse. Then, after a week or so the frequency began to decline. They were actually learning, and training themselves to avoid the stink. And the new young learn even quicker. The amusing result of all this is that I can now tell when a new gecko has made it into the house, because they head straight for that appealing, unoccupied new territory -- and then set off the alarm.

So the reader may well wonder why I started this thread in the first place if my results have been so satisfactory(?) The answer is simply that it is a bit of a nuisance to have to go retrieve and set up the ladder at each sensor, every 6-7 weeks, to deposit a mothball behind each sensor. I was just hoping that someone might have discovered a longer-lasting more maintenance-free solution.

I will still gladly entertain any suggestions. Thank you,

~~zapatero

Dont those PIR have sensitivity/range settings ? Like you can on the lights, dog goes by, nothing, human goes by, on it comes etc.

My fault -- I should have been more clear. The problem occurs at Range = 0. The sensors false alarm when the critter walks over the lens !

Has anyone successfully solved the problem of geckos false-alarming infrared sensors in a home security system?

(I know this sounds like a troll, but it isn't -- it is a real, demonstrable problem.)

I cannot even find any references in Google !

TYVM for any experiences or insights !

Yeah, you are right Jim. It had been stuck in my mind that my wife would be familiar with the location and contents of my will already, so having in there a reminder of my healtcare directive and funeral wishes might provide a bit of comforting reassurance during a time of stress.

But the now obvious flaw in that thinking -- what if we both might die or become incapacitated at the same time?

You are right -- better to express those wishes separately.

Good response, Jim. I concur with your amplification recommendation.

I am still struggling with the labeling/titling issue though, but from a different perspective. Perhaps I am just trying to put too fine a point on it (?)

Suppose I title the document, "Last Will and Testament for my assets located in Thailand", as you have suggested. "Will" and "Testament" customarily pertain to the disposition of real and personal property don't they? But I need to include additional clauses in the document that relate to, for example, guardianship of my young son, references to my Living Will/Advance Healthecare Directive, and funeral and remains disposal wishes. Now, suddenly, the scope of this document becomes greater than "Last Will and Testament for my assets located in Thailand" doesn't it?

So my question: Do you have any suggestions for an even further extension, or change, of title? Or am I just trying to be more precise than is necessary?

Suppose one creates two wills, one for Thailand and one for home country. What is the implication of the term "Last"? Can/should both wills be labeled "Last Will and Testament"? Is the implication that the one with the latest date will take precedence?

(I understand and agree that one needs to be specific about the country-scope of each document, my question is only in regard to the title of the documents.)

Is anyone using a whole house water softener? Our well water is extremely hard. Frankly, I like the taste of it; but it is causing really unattractive problems in the sinks, showers, and toilets. And, I'm sure, scale buildup in the water pipes.

Do people even use whole house softeners in Thailand? So far I have been unable to locate a supplier.

If anyone has any such experience that they can share, and/or know of a reliable supplier, I would be most grateful for your advice.

Thank you very much,

~~zapatero

Thai properties and vehicles already in Thai wife's name. Thai bank accounts are joint. Any other material assets in Thailand are of secondary/little importance. Is/are there reason(s) for having a Thai will?

Thank you very much for your thoughts.

Thank you for your responses, guys -- good answers! You have prompted me to do a bit more research.

These two diagrams are on-topic and may be of interest to you or someone else:

https://www.growershouse.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Mini_split_explanation_diagram.jpeg

http://www.howstuffworks.com/ac3.htm

Thanks again.

During normal air conditioner operation, (not on dehumidification setting), does the water drip come from humidity condensation from the air within the house or from the air outside the house?

Is there any dehumidification effect at all during normal cooling operation? In fact it would actually seem the opposite -- the relative humidity of the room should rise with the cooler air, if there is no dehumidification.

What are your HVAC expert's thoughts?

Thank you for your replies, mates.

Seajae: Interesting response. I am hesitant to reply that it was Duracell Copper Tops that ruined my GPS and a portable CD player. I was able to salvage other equipments, but not without quite a bit of effort. Clearly I am either doing something wrong, or else I bought a bad batch of batteries. Anyway, this was the original reason for my seeking a presumably safer rechargeable battery solution. (If you, or anyone, has experienced corrosion problems with rechargeables, please tell me.)

Taotoo: Today I went looking for your recommended chargers. Regrettably, the selection available where I live is pretty humble. The only one available is "Energizer". Can you, or anyone, please recommend a source of either of these charges in Bangkok that might be willing to ship to me up country? If possible, a web page would be very helpful.

Thank you very much,

~~z

Can anyone, (or everyone), please recommend a battery (AA, AAA) and charger combination that has worked well for you. So far I am only able to locate NiMH models, not Lithium; although the latter I read are supposedly superior. But even at that I understand that it is easy to buy an ineffective NiMH charger when you think that you are buying an effective design. So brands and model numbers would be really helpful.

And just as helpful, if you can please remember the brands and models that you have already thrown out because they weren't effective....

Thank you very much for any insights.

Thank you for the replies, guys.

IMHO: I found the "Hifi Distributors in Thailand" by stgrhe, pinned in this sub-forum. Excellent link.

diwata: I was able to find and access PowerBuy, but google couldn't find Akibaharain Silom. Is there some possibility of a misspelling, or that they don't have a web presence?

Thank you both for your insights.

I live in an outer province where there is no local dealer of home Hifi/Stereo electronics. Thus, if I wish to make a purchase, I will need to deal with unfamiliar sources in Bangkok. I have no problem with this, at purchase time, because there are Internet resources to compare product specifications, reviews, prices, etc. My concern is after purchase, if/when something goes wrong after product delivery. I am not expecting to find the same level of customer-accommodative policies in Bangkok that are prevalent in the U.S. or Europe; but I would at least like to take any precaution that I can, by merchant selection, to avoid ending up post-purchase with an expensive boat anchor.

Specifically, I am talking about the purchase of an integrated amplifier. Can you forum members who have had experience purchasing this or other related electronics in Bangkok please tell me what your experiences have been? What have your experiences been regarding guarantees, return/exchange privileges, warranty servicing, etc.? The names of specific merchants would be very helpful, as I am not familiar with any at all. English language would also be helpful, but post-sale customer service is more important.

Thank you very much for any of your thoughts or recommendations,
~~ zapatero

I am the OP for this thread. After several month's delay I have finally found time to return to attend to the subject of this topic. I feel that I should provide some closure since you all were kind enough to give me your many thoughts and recommendations.

I finally settled on the Revo Mondo, the little brother to the Revo Heritage mentioned by Towzak above. It was less than 5,000 THB, I might add that I am very happy with it; it is exactly what I had in mind -- no frills, bells, or whistles, just good music from all over the world.

If anyone is still interested you may still find it at: http://www.siammetry.com/ (Unfortunately, Towzak, I hadn't been following this thread and didn't see your post until now. It probably would have saved me some time.)

Finally, (trying not to violate the forum rules on commercialization), I would like to note that the proprietor of this shop went way out of his way to help me solve some problems with my own system that were well beyond the scope of his sale. I would recommend this shop.

Thanks again, everyone, for your inputs!

~~z

You're right on samuijimmy, based upon everything I've read. And you are consistent with the link posted by cooked above. Ground-layering. My problem is that I have no leaders that are accessible to the ground, they're all intertwined up into a chain-link fence! So I am stuck with trying air-layering. That is, bonding a wad of rooting medium onto a stem somewhere up there, and trying to keep it properly moist until roots appear. Much more difficult to achieve success than your way, but I have no choice.

Thus far I still see roots progressing, but based upon my previous lack of success, I won't believe it until I actually have the rooted segment severed from the parent plant and growing by itself in a pot. We'll see...

Thank you for your interest.

~~z

Thank you for your reply and link, cooked. Sorry for my delay -- I've had a crisis to attend to.

That is an interesting article. It demonstrates "whip" layering, which if one is attempting to propagate by layering, is the best way. Unfortunately, my variety, (or at least my plant), has no whips. So "air" layering is the only possibility for me. I have made several attempts at air layering this plant, all of which have failed. That is, coincidentally, until yesterday, when I observed some timid evidence of small root shoots on one stalk. If successful, this will be a hard-won victory for me. But we're not there yet. First, the layer has to be removed from the parent plant, and then it has to survive transfer and potting. We will see...

I will post back if anyone is interested.

Thanks again for the reply and link.

I have a passiflora coccinea plant that I have had very poor satisfaction trying to propagate. I've tried nodal cuttings, tip cuttings and air layering. I've tried rainy season and dry season. I've tried several different growing media. I've read books, journals, and web pages. Still little joy. I am looking for someone here in Thailand who has had better results than I, propagating this or similar vines, that I might learn from.

Thank you very much for any leads or ideas.

~~zapatero

Thank you all very much for your informative replies!

Peter and IMHO: I had never heard of Apple's AirPort Express so I found a little research to be interesting. The Amazon reviews are very positive. I am a Windows user, however I do use iTunes to feed my vintage iPod. Other than that, I do not have any Apple products. I think that I understand that even my old iPod would have to be the "touch" model in order to work with AirPort Express. So I'm not sure that AP.E is the best solution for me. Secondly, I think I understand that my PC would have to be turned on in order to stream Internet music. I was hoping to have only my access point and Wi-Fi router turned on, (and of course the amplifier), without my PC. Please do correct me if my understandings are wrong.

thatp: Thank you for taking the trouble to photograph your equipment setup. Indeed, what you have shown is the kind of thing that I (originally) had in mind. (That was before I began to hope to find an amplifier with integrated Wi-Fi). I would appreciate further information on both of your options though. If possible, could you please post a bit more detail here, in case others might be interested? Alternatively, and/or later, I will be happy to PM you.

Arkady: I wish I could go see a demo of your Denon receiver/amplifier. Unfortunately, I live way out in the provinces so no joy. Would you recommed Power Buy as the best place for a look-see at the products available the next time I go to Bangkok?

Thank you all!

~~z

I need to buy a stereo amplifier -- nothing special, average performance, not high-end. The purpose is to drive a set of old but respectable quality existing speakers. (The point is, i don't want to buy a whole package, including speakers, that are commonly available today.)

My goal out of this is to not only step up from my painfully tinny TV speakers, but to be able to enjoy some quality music from internet radio.

Thus my question: Do any modern stereo amplifiers incorporate a Wi-Fi receiver, that can be operated with an existing home Wi-Fi system?

I would greatly appreciate any insights. My knowledge of modern stereo gear is very limited!

Thank you very much,

~~zapatero

Thank you for all of your replies folks. You have made it pretty clear that I cannot just walk into a shop in Bangkok and choose from a selection of Wi-Fi radios. I see that I am going to have to accept a less straightforward solution. But you have given me a lot of ideas!

Thanks again,

~~z

Thank you for your reply, DB. I agree, for most people I am sure that you are probably correct. I guess I am too old school though. I don't have a tablet, and my phone is too ancient. Anyway, I am looking for a tabletop model that I can plug into my home stereo system, more or less permanently; not a portable model. It needs to be wireless because my router and PC is located too far away, and I don't want to leave the computer turned on all the time anyway.

If you, or anyone, can give me some guidance in this direction I would be most obliged. Experiences? Brands and models? Sources?

Thank you very much,

~~z

I am seeking to purchase a Wireless Internet Radio for use in my home, which already has a functioning wireless Wi-Fi router installed. After much research, I find many leads, and sources, in Europe, especially in the U.K. But I cannot find a source in Thailand, to even determine which, if any, brands and models are available here.

Can anyone please relate your experiences with in-country use, availability, makes/models, and suppliers?

Thank you very much,

~~zapatero